This Week in Houston Food Blogs: Cozy Dining Rooms and Ideas for Leftovers

This week, we have a few recipes that might help you get rid of those holiday leftovers, plus reviews and a list of where to snuggle up for a hot meal as the temperatures drop.

If you still haven't plowed through those Thanksgiving leftovers, Karen of Honestly Yum has an idea to help you get rid of some of them. She says that leftover stuffing crumbles make an excellent waffle – just stuff them into a waffle iron for five minutes, then top the savory waffle with mashed potatoes, a runny fried egg and plentiful gravy. Keep this one in mind for your post-Christmas breakfast, too!

Oh, the weather outside is (finally) frightful, and we know you'll find these fires so delightful. Zagat's Robin Sussman made a list of the coziest restaurants and bars in town, and several of them have roaring fireplaces where you can warm up your frosty extremities. Houston favorites like Rainbow Lodge at 2011 Ella made the list for their obvious cozy atmospheres, while Sonoma Wine Bar at 801 Studewood made the list for its hearths and an outdoor patio complete with outdoor heaters and comfy furniture.

Hank on Food gets a kick out of JerryBuilt Burgers, 3501 West Holcombe, which he describes as a hometown burger joint with a passion for great food and a willingness to adapt. Part of JerryBuilt's local flavor comes from seasonal pairings made for Saint Arnold brews, and the newly released Divine Burger lives up to its name with crumbled bacon, cranberry and caramelized onion compote, goat cheese, arugula, roasted garlic and honey aioli. Its counterpart, the Divine Salad, also received high marks from Hank, and he says that both pair beautifully with Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale.

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If a burger sounds excellent, but so does staying in, try this recipe for "burgies" with roasted Brussels sprouts and crispy shallots from Bev Cooks. She adds ranch dressing and blue cheese to finish these burgers, and the results look like a gourmet burger done so right. She says that the shallots and Brussels sprouts are very low-maintenance, and the meat doesn't require much seasoning because of all the other flavors in the burger. We know how we're getting our veggies today!

Ali Miller, R.D., shared a kale aphrodisiac salad recipe that looks as glorious as it sounds. It's a massaged kale salad with watermelon radishes – which are a beautiful touch – cubed avocado, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and a dash of black pepper. We can't make any promises about the side effects, but we can tell you that it looks about as sexy as a salad can.

Finally, longtime blogger Jack Tyler is back in the game, and he's ready to tell you all about his recent visit to Flo Paris Bakery and Cafe at 5757 Westheimer. The rich French onion soup with fresh sourdough was a hit, and a lavish strawberry cream puff was quickly finished off. It appears that the belle of the ball was a salmon mille-feuille with avocado and wasabi cream whose fluffy and flaky layers greatly impressed Tyler. He says that the upscale atmosphere and glittering food displays make it a great place to take the youngsters and more sophisticated guests alike.

That's it for this week's look at Houston food blogs! If you know of a blog you'd like to see featured, leave us a comment or send us an email about it.